Mt. Juliet and Lebanon TN
I have been practicing law in Middle Tennessee since 1999. My middle Tennessee roots run deep. I am proud to say that I have lived in this region the past thirty-eight years and my family even longer. My father, Wayne Belcher was born on a tobacco farm on the northern part of Wilson County. The farm straddled the Wilson and Trousdale county line in the Providence community. The Belcher family lived on that farm for over 200 years. My father attended a one-room schoolhouse and graduated from Hartsville in 1965. My father has run a successful CPA practice in Mt. Juliet for the past 30 years.
My Mother, the former Darnell Russell was raised in the southeastern part of Wilson County in Watertown. Like my father, my Mother too lived on a tobacco farm. She cheered and played basketball for the Purple Tigers graduating from Watertown in 1968. My Great Aunts, Lou Alice Gwaltney and Minnie Belle Winfree ran the five and dime store in Watertown for many years. Both my uncles, Bill and Don Russell were newsboys when you still delivered newspapers on bicycles. Our family still maintains a cemetery in the Poplar Hill community that began just after the Civil War. My parents were married at Round Lick Baptist Church in 1969 where my Grandfather, Prentice Russell served as the Sunday School Superintendent and my Grandmother, Sarah Russell sang in the choir.
After my father graduated from Tennessee Tech in 1973, he obtained his first job at the accounting firm of Ernst and Ernst in Hermitage. My parents were looking to live in a town close to my father’s job and close to both my grandparents. Mt. Juliet was the perfect spot (in the middle). Mt. Juliet was a wonderful place to grow up. I am the oldest of three children who all graduated from Mt. Juliet High School. My brother, Travis Belcher graduated in 1993 and my sister, Sarah Beth Belcher (Blevins) graduated in 1998. The summers included swimming and playing tennis at Langford Farms Club. Sports were a huge part of my youth. I played Phil King football in the fall for the Mt. Juliet Bears; I played basketball in the winter in the West Wilson Basketball League; and I played baseball in the summer at the Mt. Juliet Little League.
For twelve years I attended Mt. Juliet public schools. I lived so close to school that I was able to walk to Mt. Juliet Elementary. Those were the days when you could safely cross Mt. Juliet Road without the threat of being run over. Mt. Juliet only had one red light located at the intersection of Mt. Juliet Road and Lebanon Road. Fast food meant the Superburger at the interstate; retail was the M&M’s Five and Dime; Dixie Drugs was were you filled your prescriptions; and Charlie Daniels Day was the event of the year.
My brother and I were very rambunctious children. My Mother’s solution for maintaining her sanity was for us to attend every vacation bible school that was offered in Mt. Juliet. We made the VBS circuit every summer. We attended Mt. Juliet First Baptist Church, Mt. Juliet Church of Christ, Cloyd’s Presbyterian Church, St. Paul’s United Methodist and any other church that would have us. I guess a fella can never have too much religion.
After High School, I attended the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. I always knew that I would return to Mt. Juliet, so for Law School I went on my three-year adventure to the northeast. I attended law school in Boston at New England Law. I even worked in the summers as an usher at Fenway Park for the Boston Red Sox.
My stint in New England was wonderful, but I missed my hometown. After law school, I immediately returned to Mt. Juliet. I had always wanted to own a farm. At that time the farms in Mt. Juliet were becoming scarce. After a diligent search I found a small farm on the north side of town that was perfect. I then constructed a log cabin that we still use today.
There was no doubt that I wanted to work in Wilson County. Establishing my law practice became my focus. In 2002, I purchased the former home of my elementary school principal, Paul and Carol Thomas. The home is a bungalow style residence built sometime in the mid 1920’s that sits right in the heart of Mt. Juliet. As a child I visited the home on numerous occasions and it felt like the perfect spot to house my law practice. Over the past 11 years at that location, I have had the pleasure of serving a community that has served me so well over the years.
Not too long after that, I met my wonderful wife, the former Susan Guthrie. She was raised in a small community on the Cumberland Plateau near Crossville, Tennessee called Big Lick (that really is the name). I have two stepchildren who both graduated from Mt. Juliet High School. Ryne Gipson was three-year letterman on the Mt. Juliet football team and is currently enrolled at Tennessee Tech University. This spring Katie Gipson will be graduating with honors from Mt. Juliet High School and will be attending the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. We have two children together, Atticus and Iris. Atticus will be entering 2nd grade at W.A. Wright Elementary and currently enjoys playing soccer and cub scouting. This fall Iris will be starting kindergarten at W.A. Wright Elementary. She enjoys playing softball and gymnastics.
I have been involved in many chartiable causes. I was privileged to serve as the chair for the West Wilson County/Mt. Juliet Senior Citizen board. I have served as the District Chair for the Boys Scouts in the Hermitage District. I am also a current member and past chairman of the Mt. Juliet YMCA. I am also a current representative on the Middle Tennessee Youth Council. I am a 3rd Degree Master Mason in Mt. Juliet Lodge 642. I have coached baseball and softball at the Mt. Juliet League. In addition, I have served as a Trustee at Providence United Methodist located in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee. I believe that one should support the community in which one lives.
People are just discovering what us natives have known for a long time, Mt. Juliet is a great place to be. Mt. Juliet has changed dramatically in the past 40 years. We now have shopping malls, restaurants, and a movie theater, but some things remain the same. Mt. Juliet continues to be a great place to work and raise a family. I understand that people have many choices. Please consider our office.
